The Dagger's Edge
by Lise and Lizzy
Summary: Jack, a rebellious orphan, has been sent to live with his distant relative in a strange city called Burgess. Tooth and the other Guardians are fighting a constant battle against Pitch, and this strange teen may be just what they need to protect the world they love. Future AU. Rainbow Snowcone fic.
1. Dark Figures

**Hello to all. This is my first fanfiction, so I hope you guys like it. Sorry about any mistakes in advance. The writing should get better in the next couple of chapters. I don't own anything ROTG related. Thanks for reading. Love, Lise.**

* * *

Saturday, Burgess:

The puddles on the pavement reflected the neon signs hanging around the streets. A pair of small feet dash through a puddle, disturbing the smooth surface.

The rain had stopped hours ago, but it had left in its place, the familiar scent of petrichor and the occasional pool of still water. Several pedestrians turned to watch a petite girl run by. The young girl made an abrupt turn into an alleyway, completely ignoring the cars that zoomed past her.

As she rounded another corner she reached for a small, sturdy dagger at her hip. Unlike most its blade was curved slightly. Her fingers wrapped defensively around the handle as a memory flashed past her eyes.

* * *

_10 years ago..._

_There was a figure facing away from her. She glared at his back. The furry shoulders shrugged with a sigh before he spoke._

"_I don't know if I like this, sheila. Are ya sure ya want to -?"_

"_Aster E. Bunnymund," she said,"you will to teach me how to fight!" Dropping her gaze, she said more quietly, "I-, I'm ready to learn. I'm no use to you guys if I can't help out in the field."_

_The figure before her turned around slowly a kind smile spreading across his face._

_At 6'1" he towered over the girl and was covered in blue-grey fur. His friends had come to call him 'Bunny'._

"_Oh Tooth," He sighed and crouched down so he was level with her. He placed a large paw on her shoulder. " What are we going to do with ya?" He grinned. Tooth looked up into his bright green eyes and smiled hopefully. Bunny chuckled. He never could deny those magenta puppy eyes. "Kay, kay, fine. I'll teach ya."_

_Tooth's smile grew into a full-blown grin and she gave Bunny the biggest hug._

"'_Kay there sheila, we should probably get started." He dislodged himself from Tooth's arms and stood back up to his full height. Bunny beamed down at the girl "Toothiana, I've got something for ya."_

* * *

Tooth's lips turned up into a smile as she replayed the scene in her mind.

It had happened so long ago, but she could still recall every detail – she always could. She could see Bunny smiling and handing her the dagger. It had seemed so large in her hands then, but now it fit in her palm like it was made for her.

Tooth had learned fast. Not a year after her first lesson, she could already hold her own in a fight. As impressed with her abilities as Bunny, North and Sandy were, they were still reluctant to let Tooth venture out into the field. Tonight was one of the few nights she was allowed to help.

Tooth shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. She had to concentrate on the mission.

Tooth's pace quickened as she sped down the long alley. Her brown hair was sprinkled with longer feathers. Pulled into a high ponytail, it swished back in forth behind her as she ran.

She had delicately small hands and her small stature made her look much younger than 18. Tooth held herself with surprising strength and dexterity, eyes seeming to glow against her dark clothes and hair. They were bright magenta flecked with spots of light.

Her breathing was heavy and her unusual eyes flitted from the ground to the rooftops, as if she was searching for someone, or something.

A black shadow darted across the gap between the buildings. A determined smile spread across her face as Tooth pressed the com link in her ear and spoke.

"I found one, It's heading towards Main Street. It's on the roofs."

"Yeah, I see it. Thanks Tooth." a familiar male voice spoke through the earpiece. Tooth could see the vague figure of Bunny hop from his hiding place in the pursuit of the shadow. As her partner raced onto the rooftops after the target, she followed through the tight alleyways on the street below.

Tooth sighed. She hated being grounded. She wanted to be apart of the action, leaping across the rooftops like the Bunny, but it was "too risky". Well, while she was here she might as well have some fun.

She spotted a large dumpster up ahead and grinned. That would be perfect.

Running towards it at full speed, Tooth shifted her weight and vaulted off the ground. Her hands extended in front of her as her body began to rotate. Her small hands made contact with the edge of the dumpster and her body came to a stop in a perfect handstand.

Tooth smiled as she let her feet fall behind her head and shifted her weight again, slowly standing back upright.

Grinning, she sprinted across to the other side, bending her knees slightly as she reached the edge. Her legs extended and propelled her into the air.

Tooth closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the air on her face. She was lost in her own world, a world where she could fly, where she wasn't judged for her appearance, a world that she _knew_ didn't really exist.

Her daydream was shattered when suddenly a large mass collided with her left side. Tooth let out a yelp at the unexpected impact as she was sent flying into the brick wall.

"What the hell?" Tooth mumbled under breath as she tried to shake away the ringing in her ears. She pulled herself off the wall she got her first good look at her attacker.

It was in the shape of a horse but looked to be made of swirling black sand. Sandy black wisps trailed from it's tail and mane. Its bright yellow eyes seemed to bore into her as she stared back.

The mare snorted, nostrils flaring, blowing hot air in her face. The next second the dark equine ran into her again, this time with enough force to knock all the wind out of Tooth's body.

She lay gasping on the ground, silently cursing herself for letting her guard down. If she hadn't been daydreaming, – no, there was no use thinking about that now.

Her mind quickly jumped into action, thinking about all possible options. Bunny was still on the roofs, and her com wasn't in her ear anymore. She cursed again. It must have fallen out when she was attacked. Her only hope was to out-maneuver this creature and get away before it did her any serious damage.

Tooth stood and steeled herself for the attack, drawing and gripping her dagger firmly. The dark mare saw her opponents weapon glint, reflecting the neon signs for just a fraction of a second. But a second was all she need. Lunging at Tooth's right hip, which was weakened by her fall, sharp teeth made contact. Tooth gasped and winced in pain.

The horse had withdrawn slightly to access for the next attack. It aimed again at Tooth's hip, but this time she was more prepared.

Tooth sidestepped and attempted to bring her dagger down to slash the snout of her opponent. But the horse was too quick and easily avoided her weapon. It returned the favor by lunging again, coming at her with bared and snapping jaws. She blocked the horse's sharp teeth and rolled to the side. Tooth dodged around the massive creature, keeping it occupied with little jabs and swipes from her dagger.

The horse was getting more and more confused as the girl jumped and rolled all around it. Tooth knew she couldn't keep this up forever, though; she was already getting worn-out and the bite in her side was starting to sting. It was time to wrap this up and go find Bunny.

Tooth spotted an opening in the horse's defense. Her eyes flashed as she sprung into action.

She ran straight at the brick wall behind the sand creature and used her momentum to propel herself 3 feet up the wall. She turned her dagger down towards the ground, her upper body following after, striking the horse above its right shoulder. A second later her shoes found the ground, managing a solid landing, but by the time Tooth looked up the creature was dissolving into a wisp of black sand.

She watched the sand that had just moments before been a vicious nightmare dart down the alley and disappeared around the corner.

Tooth was about to go after it, but thought better of it when she realized how much her hands were shaking. The nervousness that had settled in her stomach was now threatening to come back up. Tooth bent over with her hands on her knees.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in-.

Her queasiness subsided enough that she could stand up straight again. Tooth shook her head, ruffling the feathers as she did so. Right now she had to find her partner.

Toothiana walked back over to the dumpster. She spotted a small flashing light on the ground and reached down to pick it up, her lips turning into a slight smile. Thank goodness her comp link wasn't damaged. It continued to blink as Tooth lifted it to her ear.

She was met with an onslaught of noise.

"TOOTH! TOOTHIANA, YA THERE? WHAT'S HAPPENING? ARE YA OKAY? TOOTH? TALK TO ME!"

Toothiana sighed. Typical Bunnymund.

"Cool your jets, Bun. I'm still here." Tooth smiled half-heartedly.

"Ya okay Tooth?" Bunny's voice sounded urgent.

"Yeah, I'm fine it was just a Nightmare, and you can't get rid of me that easily." The petite girl laughed. Her long, dark brown hair caught the light of the neon signs as she tucked it behind her ear. She winced slightly as her injury flared again.

"Just stay where ya are. 'kay?"

"Alright" Tooth sighed. Looking down at her shirt Tooth examined the bite she had received from the black horse. Her shirt was torn and small flecks of blood has seeped into the fabric. The cut wasn't terrible though which was a relief. Although it would probably scar if she didn't get it fixed up soon. Realizing that there was nothing for her to do right now, other than mourn the loss of a perfectly good shirt, Tooth leaned against the brick wall. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back until it rested on the red bricks.

* * *

The Nightmare sand dashed down the street and reformed into the dark figure of a horse. It looked back over it's shoulder and flared its nostrils.

The horse turned on the spot and sped down the street. Rearing as it crossed an intersection, it dove into a sewage grate in a plume of menacing black sand.

* * *

Saturday, below Burgess:

A small figure huddled on in the corner of the dark room. His whimpers resonated in the cave-like structure. Through the faint sound of his sobs, the young boy heard the door creak open, the sound of footsteps following closely behind.

"Now now, don't cry." came a mocking voice. "You know you're never getting out, so there's no use being upset." A slim hand emerged from the shadows. It snaked its way forward, followed by a tall, male figure. The man, clad in black, approached the huddled boy. "What's the matter, still afraid of Pitch Black?"

As the sobs continued Pitch grew impatient. "Pipe down or I'll stuff a pillow in you!" The boy's cries turned to sniffles and Pitch took another step forward.

CRUNCH! Pitch stopped abruptly and lifted up his foot. A pair of red-rimmed glasses lay shattered on the floor where the sole of his foot had just been.

"Oh, what a pity." Pitch snickered. Picking up the broken frames. "I bet these were quite expensive."

"W-What was?" asked the boy, turning his head slightly to squint up at the man. His blonde hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat.

"Why Monty, your glasses, of course." sneered the tall man.

Monty's eyes grew wide. His chest rose and fell a rapid rate. Pitch watched with amusement as the boy shuffled backwards, bumping into the rough wall behind him. All this over a pair of glasses? How laughable.

Twisting his wrist, Pitch summoned a small swirl of black sand. He let the sand weave through his fingers a few times, watching as it coiled and twisted. Pitch raised his eyes to the boy.

"Why don't I leave you alone with your thoughts." He whispered, and with a flick of his hand he sent the sand to the shaking boy. Within seconds Monty's vision went black. Pitch turned from his captive and retreated out of the room with a demonic grin plastered on his face and a pair of red glasses still in his hand.

Faint whimpers could be heard as he closed and locked the door behind him.

The sound of rustling sand caught his attention and Pitch turned to find one of his Nightmares emerging from the shadowy hallway. It whinnied and circled him. Causing him to furrow his brow.

"What do you mean there's another? A girl?" He asked incredulously.

The Nightmare snorted as if in reply which only seemed to aggravate Pitch even more. He reached out and touched the Nightmare's main.

"Show me!" he commanded.

An image of a petite teenage girl with a dagger flashed before his mind's eye. Her eyes were a bright magenta and her head had what looked like feathers extending back into her brown hair.

Pitch laughed as he let go of the Nightmare. Not to worry, she would be an easy target.

"Fine. I'll let them have their last hurrah." He said, glancing menacingly at the ceiling. "For soon all their pathetic scrambling will be for nothing."

* * *

Tooth's head swiveled slightly as Bunny landed beside her. His eyes were filled with worry, his ears twitching nervously. Tooth smiled slightly at his antics.

"Really Bunny, I'm fine." She laughed nervously.

"Ya expect me to believe that?" Bunny retorted, rolling his eyes. Tooth shuffled her feet. He was right. He was always right, but she wasn't going to tell him that. At least not directly.

"I got a couple scrapes. That's all." She glanced down at her left hip.

"Yeah I can see that, sheila." He replied, crouching down to get a better look. "Well it's not bad, nothing this can't fix." Bunny reasoned as he pulled a blue cylinder from the leather strap around his chest.

Tooth recognized it as one of the tools from HQ. Meant for healing, it could mend minor injuries in a few seconds and could significantly reduce the healing time of larger ones.

Bunny lifted up Tooth's shirt slightly and held the device level with her injury. She jumped slightly as a icy felling pricked her nerves. Within moments the wound had closed and all that was left was a faint pink line.

Satisfied with his work, Bunny stood back up. Tooth shuffled again. Neither one said anything for a while.

"This doesn't change anything," Tooth finally spoke. She looked up at Bunny with a determined gleam in her eyes. "I still want to help out in the field." She ended, folding her arms across her chest.

Bunny sighed, recognizing that familiar light in her eyes. He may as well give up now. This conversation wasn't going to go in his favor anytime soon.

"Look sheila, let's get ya back to the headquarters and get ya cleaned up." He turned and began walking down the alleyway towards the edge of town.

Tooth blinked before she sped over to join him. Giving him a strong hip check for good measure.

"Little bugger." chuckled Bunny as he regained his balance. "Good to see ya haven't lost your charm." he teased.

"Oh, like you're any better Mr. Worry-wart." Tooth replied.

* * *

**End of chapter 1! Sorry Monty. *winces* So... how was it? Good? Bad? Okay? Before you ask, yes, this is a Rainbow Snowcone fic. I'll get there I promise. The next chapter has Jack. YAY! I'll try to finish and post it by tomorrow evening. Thanks again for reading!**


	2. A Change of Pace

**AHHHH! IT'S BEEN A WEEK! Yikes. I'm really sorry guys. I did not expect this chapter to take that long. I also added a little tiny bit to Chapter 1 that you might want to check out. It's not much, but it's mentioned in this Chapter. I also wanted to say thank you to all the people that followed and favorited and reviewed. I appreciated all of it! Enjoy! Love, Lise.**

* * *

Saturday, 375 miles outside of Burgess:

The wind rushed through his stark white hair as the boy raced down the abandoned road. His feet were firmly planted on an oddly shaped hover-board.

It wasn't very large as hover-boards go, but it seemed to fit the teen perfectly. In full, it was about 5 inches taller than its rider making it about 6'3". The top foot curved in a large handle that resembled the hook of a shepherd's crook.

The white haired youth repositioned his feet on the panel so that they were centered on the dark wood that ran down the middle. With his left foot in front of his right the teenager crouched, shifting his weight backwards onto his right heel.

Laughter rang through the air as both board and rider did a full back flip. They zoomed down through the streets.

However, the fun and games were short lived. As the speeding hover-board whipped past an alleyway a loud, offensive alarm could be heard. Police sirens.

The teen glanced behind him at the police car that was now in pursuit.

Like the hover-board, the car was also elevated above the ground.

"Oh great," The boy muttered. "Not this again"

"GET DOWN FROM THE HOVER CRAFT!" came the call from the cop car.

The boy spun 180 degrees. His naturally messy hair swirled around his ears. Riding backwards, he faced the car.

"Oh, come on! You need to learn how to have a little fun!" He grinned. Teasing a cop was great and all, but it was time to leave him in the dust.

The teen turned around and refocused on the streets.

"Let's see how well you can drive," he whispered to himself. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the car was still in pursuit. A smirk crept onto his lips. _This was going to be fun._ And with that last thought he shot forward.

He sped down the street. The board zipped from side to side. It went in loops, and made sharp turns, trying to shake the cop, but he kept up chase.

The teen was gaining distance.

He quickly rounded a corner.

The boys bright blue eyes widened. There directly in his path was another cop car. He tried to stop the hover-board, but it was going to fast. Collision was imminent.

In a last second move the young man tried to turn around, but not soon enough.

The end of the panel slammed into passenger side door, sending both rider and board spiraling into a pile of garbage below.

The first cop car had caught up to the second and they slowly sank to the ground.

The teen groaned and pulled himself up out of the garbage. As thankful as he was for the cushioned landing, getting covered in yesterday's leftovers had NOT been on his to do list.

He brushed off what food and wrappers he could see and grabbed his hover-board out of the mess. Quickly he pressed a small button that was all but hidden on the hook. The platform that the teen had been standing on moments before began to retract. After another second the boy was left holding what looked like a very ordinary shepherds staff.

By this time, the 2 cops had emerged from their respective cars, chuckling as they approached the rubbish-covered teen.

"Did you see that fall!?" One joked.

"Brilliant landing, too. 10 points!" The other added as he hooked his thumbs through his belt loops.

The boy gritted his teeth, his jaw visibly clenching. The two cops caught the gesture and frowned.

"You aren't going to be trouble _again_, are you?" The first cop asked, raising his bushy eyebrows.

The second cop rolled his eyes. There was an uneasy feeling that passed around the alleyway.

The boy tensed his legs, ready to bolt at any second. But just as he was about to make a break for it, a smooth feminine voice cut through the tense air.

"Hello Jackson, it's_ so_ nice to see you again."

His head whipped around at the sound of his name. He regained his composure at the sight of the familiar female.

"Captain! You're not still mad about last time? _Are you?" _ Jackson chuckled and leaned against his staff, giving his best smirk.

"I see you still haven't outgrown this silly game." She replied, avoiding his questions. She walked forward with confident strides. She had two old fashioned guns holstered on her hips. A Sig P-220 was on her left and a Glock 22 on her right. Her lips curled into a smile as she approached. "You never learn, do you?" She sighed. "Well _sugar_, I hate to break it to you, but I've won this round." She glanced above the teen's shoulder "Fellas."

Before the white haired boy knew what was happening the two policemen had successfully bound his hands behind his back.

"Hey! Let me go!" he protested, but to no avail. He was escorted over to one of the cars and shoved into the backseat. "Ow, take it easy!"

The Captain, who had picked up Jack's staff, approached the car. The policeman with the bushy brows mumbled something under his breath and got into the drivers seat. The Captain watched him for a moment before kneeling down next to the open door.

"You know Jack," she spoke, her authoritative voice gone for the moment. "You really can't keep this up." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, "Ms. Wilson is not going to be happy." Jack didn't reply. He knew he was going to be in deep shit and he really didn't need anyone to tell him that, but he could see that Captain was honestly concerned. "If I give you this back, will you promise not to get into anymore trouble?" she held out Jack's staff to him. He took it and looked it over before replying.

"And where would be the fun in that?" He smirked, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. The Captain smiled and shook her head as she stood.

"I hope I never have see you again, Jack Frost."

And the cop car door was slammed shut.

* * *

Saturday, HQ, On the edge of Burgess:

"YOU CAN GET SERIOUSLY HURT!" North boomed. His voice echoed through the large room as he paced back and forth.

Tooth was seated at a large round table, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. The small, golden Sandy occupied the seat to the right of her. He too had his arms crossed, but unlike Tooth it was more out of boredom than anything. Bunny stood behind her leaning against the wall obviously trying to stay out of the fray.

"It was fine! I handled it and Bunny was able to fix me up, no problem." Tooth retorted. After over an hour of yelling at the large, bearded man her temper was obviously dying down, but there was still the familiar prick of annoyance in her voice. "I don't see what the big deal is" she sighed.

"What is big deal?! Big deal is Bunny will not always be there to help!" North waved his hand in exasperation. Stopping his pacing for a moment, he placed his hand down on the wooden table, furrowing his bushy eyebrows and glaring down at its surface.

Suddenly Tooth felt something touch her arm. Looking down she saw Sandy. Without saying a word he was able to convey a message she understood.

North was only doing what he thought was best.

Tooth sighed and uncrossed her arms.

"Look," She murmured. Her slender fingers traced the old symbols carved into the wooden table, "I-I am sorry if -" another sigh. "If I scared you, but I want to help you. I've grown up watching you and Sandy and Bunny keep the town safe. There-" swallowing the lump in her throat she continued, " there were nights when I was scared one of you might not come home." Tooth looked up from the table to find North's eyes on her. Sandy's hand squeezed her arm in both comfort and encouragement. "I vowed to myself then that when I was old enough I would join all of you, so that I would never have to feel that fear again."

"Tooth-" North started.

"No, North." Tears stung her eyes but she pushed them back. This was not the time. She needed to show them that she was strong enough. That she could handle herself. "I've come such a long way since then. My skills may not be the best, but they can still be useful. I don't want to feel helpless anymore! Please, just let me help!" As soon as the last words left her lips Tooth felt the room go still. Glancing around she caught the eyes of her friends.

Sandy smiled softly and squeezed her arm again.

Bunny stood a little straighter and nodded his head.

North too bobbed his head. He removed his hands from the table and addressed her companions.

"So we are all in agreement then." Looking back down at Tooth, his voice softened slightly. "You understand you are not off hook, yes?" Tooth nodded. "So I want you to train with Bunny _at least_ twice a week from now on." Tooth agreed again. "Then I think we are done here. Everyone should go get sleep."

With that, the three got up and went to their respective rooms, leaving Tooth alone at the table.

When the sounds of footsteps finally died away she let out a shaky breath. Her eyes pricked again with a familiar feeling.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to block the tears that were threatening to spill over. Despite her efforts several streaks of salt water ran down her face and she had no choice but to let the rest fall too.

After a couple of minutes Tooth opened her eyes and stared down at the table again.

Her vision was blurry, but she could still make out the spiral that the ancient lettering made. It coiled around the entire table, each time getting closer and closer to the symbol at the center; a small, but recognizable snowflake.

* * *

Saturday, Slideview Orphanage, 378 miles outside of Burgess:

Jack was pacing in his room at the orphanage. Pacing in this case consisted of about 2 steps in each direction, because his room was, to say the least, tiny. A twin sized bed and a small dresser were about all that could fit in the space provided.

On top of the dresser was a small blue lamp, practically useless. It's dim light barely lit the side of the bed, let alone the rest of the room. Luckily, there was a window by the bed that usually provided most of the light. But the sun had set several hours ago, leaving the only the dim blue glow and a few moonbeams as a light source.

Despite the low lighting, Jack knew exactly where everything was. Maybe it was just that he was used to the space, or maybe it was that his eyes had adjusted to the dark, but he never stumbled even once. His pacing continued, getting faster and faster.

Suddenly Jack kicked out at the dresser next to his bed. His foot slammed into the wood with a satisfying THUD. He kicked it again and forcefully sat down on the edge of his bed. The mattress springs groaned with the sudden weight.

Jack ran a hand through his hair and tried to steady his breathing.

* * *

_1 hour earlier…_

_Miss Wilson must have thought someone of importance had come to see her, because when the two cops dragged Jack through the front doors of Slideview Orphanage she had on her plastic smile. _

_Her lips were curled into a grin that showed her slightly crooked teeth and the deep red lipstick she wore didn't do anything for her looks._

_"Why hello officers." She called in her sickly sweet voice. The one she only used around people she was trying to impress. "Is there some kind of _trouble_?" With the last word her eyes landed on Jack. The smile stayed plastered on her face, but if looks could kill Jack was sure he would have flat-lined by now. _

_The two cops were completely oblivious to the fiery glare of the woman._

"_We hate to disturb you ma'am, but Jackson here-" They were abruptly cut off as Miss Wilson grabbed Jack's arm._

"_Oh don't worry about it. I'll just have to have a chat with Jackson here." She replied, ushering the two uniformed men towards the doors. "You two have a nice night" Before they could say another word the cops were on the front steps, the doors shut behind them._

_Jack stood in the hallway contemplating whether he should make a run for it. He had made his decision and was just about to dash when a manicured hand grabbed his ear and pulled. _

_"Jackson," she spat, "You know what you are? You are worthless." Her face contorted in disgust, as if Jack had some foul stench. And seeing as he took a dive into some garbage earlier he very well might have. "What would your parents think of you?!" She snapped._

_At this Jack's eyes widened. Noticing his reaction the cruel woman continued. "Oh, that's right," she mocked, "You don't remember them do you?" She continued to speak, but her words fell on deaf ears._

_Jack watched her mouth move as she spoke. He had found that watching her gruesome teeth helped him block her out when things got nasty. _

_He wasn't sure how long he'd been spacing out, but a sharp hit to the back of his head had him back in reality. Jack had to blink a couple of times before he could register what she was saying._

_"Why don't you go clean the floors, hm? They are looking a little dirty and it might teach you to be a little more responsible." She sneered._

_"But I washed them a few days ago, ma'am," he said coolly back, having regained his composure._

_"Is it not possible that they could have gotten dirty in that time?" she asked oh so politely._

_"Yes, I guess they could have." he answered, voice dripping with disrespect. _

"'_Yes, I guess they could have, _ma'am_.'" she corrected. Amazingly, she didn't have to say anymore. Jack was already sulking off to where the cleaning supplies were housed. _

_For once Jack actually did as he was told. _

_Several of the other kids passed him in the hall. They would look at him with pity. Jack had become a favorite with the younger kids, always playing tricks and making them laugh, so they honestly felt bad for him. But Jack would just smile at them and pretend to slip on the wet floor, which always brought a giggle. When they would leave he would go back to his work, but his mind was never focused on washing. _

_Instead his thoughts were all about one thing. He had to get out._

* * *

After his breathing had calmed Jack looked around his room. Part of the plan he had devised while cleaning was to gather up his belongings. But now he realized that there really wasn't much for him to take. A small backpack, a few pairs of worn pants, underwear, a blue hoodie, a pair of horribly uncomfortable shoes and his staff were all that he possessed.

Packing took no time at all and soon Jack had his pack slung over his shoulder. His shepherd's crook was gripped firmly in his right hand. There was no clock in his room, but by the moon outside it looked to be around midnight.

After scanning the room in one final check Jack turned to the door. His left hand grasped the handle and he took a deep breath.

He turned his wrist and slipped out of his now ex-living quarters.

Turning his back to the hallway, he tried to close the door quietly.

A soft cough came from behind him and Jack's muscles tensed. He spun around, already on the defensive. He knew what would happen if he got caught, and it was a lot worse than scrubbing floors. But he didn't have to worry, because instead of the strict caretaker that he was expecting, he found one of the younger children. A small girl about the age of 7 gazed up at him.

Her name was Mia and she was one of Jack's favorites. He was never sure why, but she reminded him of someone. Maybe it was her straight brown hair, or the way she laughed, or the birthmark under her left eye, he could quite never place it.

"Hey there little one." Jack whispered, crouching down to her level. "What are you doing up?"

"I-I was thirsty." she replied, rubbing her eye. She was wearing her blue nightgown that hung down to her ankles. She looked up at Jack and took in his appearance. "What are _you_ doing Jack?"

"Me? I'm just going for a run." Jack lied, but it Mia saw right through it.

"Really, Jack. You can tell me. I can keep a secret." She smiled and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Oh can you now?" Jack joked.

"Sure. I'm the best secret keeper ever." With this Mia stuck out her chest and put her chin up. Jack chuckled at the funny little girl.

"Well then I guess I'll tell you." he gestured for her to come closer. "I'm getting out of here." She gasped.

"Jack! Where are you going? Do you even know anyone out there? What if -"

"Whoa there. Slow down there kiddo." Jack smiled. "Look I got it all figured out." Another lie, but this time Mia didn't catch it.

Here eyes were too busy brimming with tears.

"W-What if I forget you?" she whimpered.

"Come on now, don't cry." Jack sighed "You won't forget me, just like I won't forget you. Okay?" Jack glanced around the hall; he really needed to get going. Refocusing on Mia he continued. "And if you ever need me just yell. I'll get to you as fast as a can. Got it?" Jack knew he couldn't keep his promise, but it seemed to help Mia calm down.

She nodded and wiped away the tears with her sleeve.

"I think it's time for me to go." Jack whispered. Mia nodded, holding out her hand out to Jack. He took it and together they walked down the hallway to the front door.

As they passed Miss Wilson's room Jack held his breath, but nothing happened.

The two of them made it to the front door without any trouble. Now it was time for goodbyes.

"Jack?" Mia whispered. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She looked up at him with big bright eyes.

"Of course," Jack replied "I'll be 18 in a month and -" Jack's train of thought was cut short when he saw a strip light come on under Miss Wilson's door. "Shit." Jack cursed under his breath.

"What?" Mia questioned, rubbing her eye again.

"Look, Mia I have to go. Right now." he spoke urgently and she picked up on it, her tiredness gone immediately. "As soon as the doors close behind me I want you to run back to your room and pretend to sleep. Got it?"

She nodded and glanced down at her feet. A second later her arms were wrapped firmly around Jack's leg. He started at the unexpected hug, but then smiled down at the little girl. He ruffled her hair and detached from her hug.

"Take care kiddo." And with that Jack slipped out the front doors of Slideview Orphanage, closing them behind him for the last time.

* * *

Jack had been switching between walking and riding his board for about 3 hours before he found a suitable place to rest. His shoes were killing him and he tore them off, cursing them all the while.

He honestly didn't know where he was going or what he should do next. Placing his staff across his lap, Jack closed his eyes.

Just as he was about to fall asleep a gentle voice broke the silence.

"Jackson, You have a letter."

Jack's eyes shot open.

Before him stood a young man, maybe around his age. He was wearing one of those old postman outfits. The kind Jack had only seen pictures of. The boy also had a faint glow to him. Despite his odd appearance, he wasn't scary. It was just the opposite. The boy seemed to radiate contentment.

"W-Wha?" Jack muttered, still slightly confused about the situation.

In response the glowing teen held out a small envelope. Warily Jack took it, looking down at it and flipping it over to examine the scrawled text.

_**To JACKSON FROST**_

A soft breeze blew, ruffling Jack's bangs.

"You want to tell me what this is?" Jack asked incredulously, looking up to the messenger boy, but no one was there.

Jack blinked several times. He could have sworn that he was here just a moment ago. He looked around, no sign of the strange youth.

I could have been an illusion, some kind of hallucination, but the tangible envelope between his fingers said otherwise.

Jack hastily tore it open. He fumbled with the letter inside, written in the same slanted handwriting.

He read it once and tucked it back in the envelope. He placed it in his backpack and leaned his head back, staring at the sky, thinking about what he had just read.

It was his best option right now.

Tomorrow he would head for Burgess.

* * *

**Chapter 2 complete! Just realized there was a good bit of crying. Oops. Well, hope you all enjoyed it. I'm not sure when I'll be able to work on the next chapter, because school starts this week. UGH! But I will try my hardest to get it done sooner than later. See ya around!**


End file.
